Betrayed (15 page)

She heard him sniffing as he closed the door behind her.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

In the bar, Jimmy studied Eddie’s expression as the nine o’clock news led with the police probe of the deaths of four people, believed to be from a rogue batch of cocaine. The newsreader said there had also been two more deaths in Amsterdam in the last twenty-four hours. The rogue cocaine might have come from a batch brought in from Amsterdam, either through London or Manchester, before ending up in Glasgow. Eddie was poker-faced. Jimmy glanced at Mitch, recalling their earlier conversation about the deaths, before Eddie had come into the Tavern.

Eddie lifted his pint. ‘Let’s go for a seat, boys.’ He walked towards a table in the corner.

Jimmy and Mitch followed him and sat down.

‘Listen.’ McGregor folded his arms on the table. ‘That’s causing me all sorts of fucking shit.’ He jerked his head towards the wall-mounted television where the story was still running.

Jimmy and Mitch said nothing.

Eddie sniffed.

‘That’s our coke.’

Jimmy flicked a glimpse at Mitch.
Our
coke, he thought. He didn’t like it being put like that, but he had to admit to himself there was no getting away from it. He was part of it, because he was there. He was well aware what they were doing in Utrecht and he knew what they’d brought back into the country. He might not have touched it, but he was part of the smuggling operation. He’d no problem with that. He just didn’t know it was going to kill people. He had already voiced these concerns to Mitch, who told him to forget about it and warned that it wouldn’t be smart to bleat about it to Eddie.

‘What happened, boss?’ Mitch ventured.

‘Fucked if I know,’ Eddie sighed. ‘But I’m fucking raging. It’s causing me a fucking nightmare. I moved the stuff on, in the normal way, the minute I got home from Holland. And now my dealers are coming back to me going fucking mental. After the first two punters died, they couldn’t shift a fucking line of the stuff. All their usual customers were flapping.’ He shook his head. ‘So I told them to cut their losses and shift it to the housing schemes. The junkies up in places like Possil and Shettleston will use it. They’ll snort anything, inject any fucking thing, make crack with it – as long as it’s cheap.’ He lit a cigarette and took a long draw. ‘At least I got my money. There was no problem there. I got
paid up front as soon as I moved it when I brought it in. But the dealers are well pissed off, because they had to sell it for a fraction of what they’d normally get.’ He smirked. ‘The fucking junkies up in Easterhouse think they’ve been at the sales because they’ve got the gear so cheap.’

Mitch half smiled in agreement, but Jimmy shifted around in his chair. He lifted his pint, then put it back down again.

‘But will more people not die, Eddie, if the shit coke is now getting spread around? More punters taking it?’

Eddie gave him a look somewhere between a scowl and surprise.

‘What the fuck do I care? Not my problem, mate.’

Nobody spoke, and Jimmy gave a shrug, hoping he looked as though he agreed.

‘I’ll tell you what
is
my problem though,’ Eddie said. ‘The dealers I moved the stuff to might be looking for a wee kickback, a bit of a reduction, on the next stuff we bring in after the Seville match.’ He shook his head. ‘But they’re not fucking on.’

‘The news says there were two dead in Amsterdam, Eddie,’ Mitch said. ‘What about Flinty? I suppose he didn’t know about the stuff?’

‘I’ve spoken to him all right,’ Eddie nodded. ‘Put a rocket up his arse this morning once it looked like it was our coke. He’s raging as well. He normally deals with Moroccans down in Algeciras. But the guy he’d dealt with this time in Amsterdam
is some Turkish fucker who he doesn’t know so well. He was put onto him by another mate on the Costa. Flinty was coming to Amsterdam anyway to see one of his associates, so he arranged to pick up our coke from this Turk. I don’t even know if the Turk knew about the strength of the stuff, or exactly what it was cut with. But if he didn’t, he should have. And if he did, then he’s a cunt for shifting it on to us. Flinty says he’s dealing with it.’

‘I’m glad I never took any,’ Mitch said, with a cheeky grin.

‘I’ll fucking bet you are.’

Eddie looked up as big Rod Farquhar came into the bar and made a gesture to him as though he was drinking a pint. Eddie gave him a thumbs-up.

‘I’m away to see Rod,’ he said. ‘Big bastard owes me a drink.’

Jimmy watched as Eddie slapped Rod on the back when he got to the bar and the two of them stood with their backs to them.

‘It’s not right, that,’ Jimmy said, looking at Mitch. ‘All them people dying. It doesn’t feel right.’

Mitch sighed. ‘Not our fault, mate, so fucking forget about it. We didn’t force them to take the charlie.’

‘No,’ Jimmy frowned at him. ‘But they’re dead because we brought the stuff into the country.’

Mitch looked at him in disbelief.

‘Fuck’s sake, Jimmy. Are you Mother Fucking Teresa? What the fuck you want us to do about it? Phone the polis?
Forget about it.’ He handed him a cigarette. ‘Eddie’s right. We got our money, and that’s all that matters. Come on. I’ll kick your arse at pool.’

They stood up and went to the pool table, close to where Eddie and Rod were standing at the bar. As Jimmy set the balls up, he looked across and noticed that Eddie’s face was suddenly like thunder, and he didn’t appear to be listening to Rod any more. He watched as Eddie knocked back another whisky then slammed the glass on the bar.

‘Right. I’m off home,’ Eddie said.

He marched past Jimmy and Mitch without a word or a nod in their direction.

‘Fuck’s wrong with him suddenly?’ Jimmy said.

‘Don’t know. He was all right earlier on.’

Big Rod sat up on a bar stool, swivelling around so he could watch them play pool.

Donna glanced up at the kitchen clock as she heard the front door close. It was just after half ten. Eddie was early. He never usually left the pub until at least closing time. She pulled her bathrobe around her naked body, feeling a little irritated that he’d arrived home before she watched the end of the film.

‘You’re early,’ she said as he walked into the kitchen.

She could see by the look of him he was drunk. And he didn’t look happy. Her stomach knotted. She’d have to humour him.

‘Want a cup of tea, Eddie? You hungry?’

‘Nope.’

He went into the fridge and took out a bottle of beer. He opened it and slung the bottle opener across the granite worktop, then took a swig and belched as he stood staring at her.

‘What?’ Donna said flatly.

He shrugged and said nothing.

‘You not want something to eat?’

‘I said no. You deaf?’

‘No. I’m not deaf, Eddie.’ She gave him a sarcastic look. ‘I’m just surprised to see you home so early and thought you might be hungry.’

She turned away from him and walked into the living room, feeling his eyes burning her back.

‘Like having the place to yourself, do you?’ he said as she sat on the sofa. ‘Like doing your own thing?’

Donna decided it was best not to answer. He’d obviously been drinking whisky. It always made him like this. He was an obnoxious bastard without it, but when he drank whisky it was like throwing a switch. He could cause a row in an empty house. Most of the hidings she’d got from him had happened after he’d been tanked up on the stuff. Best to ignore him, she thought, as she pressed the remote control, bringing up the film she wanted to watch. She hoped he would go to bed.

‘So what’s happening?’ He came into the living room and threw himself down onto his armchair.

‘What?’

‘What’s happening? What you been up to?’

Donna felt her mouth go dry. She glanced at him, then at the television.

‘What you talking about? You’ve only been away for about three hours. What do you think I’ve been up to? I just had a bath and was just settling into a film. I thought you’d have been in at your usual time.’

‘Aye,’ he said, kicking off his shoes. ‘As long as I keep to my usual time.’

Donna didn’t like where this was going. She couldn’t understand it. He was fine when he went out. He’d been on good form for the last few days, took her to dinner when they came back from Holland. He’d even bought her perfume on the boat. She’d played the game with him quite well over the last week and she didn’t want to get into a fight. She thought about Andy, and how much she missed being with him. The last time they’d been together was when Eddie was away for those few days at the Rangers game. It was the first time she’d actually been with him in a bed for the afternoon, falling asleep in his arms. It had felt so tender and natural, she had longed for it every moment since. Only a few more days, then Eddie would be off to Seville.

‘You’re not listening to me.’

‘I’m trying to watch a film, Eddie. God’s sake!’

‘Did you go out much when I was in Holland?’

Donna looked at him.

‘What? You know I didn’t go out at all. I was here all the time. I spoke to you every night. What you asking that for?’

‘Just wondered. Did you not do much then?’

‘No.’ Donna turned towards the television. ‘Now I’m wanting to watch this film, Eddie.’

They sat in tense silence, Donna feeling Eddie’s glare on her. She shifted around on the couch, shoving her feet up on the coffee table. Her robe fell open a little and she pulled it across to cover her breasts.

‘You’re making me horny,’ Eddie said. ‘Seeing you like that. Just out of the bath.’

He stood up and came towards the couch and sat down close to her. He brushed his hand up her calf. She kept her eyes on the film. He pushed her robe open, exposing her legs, and ran his hand up them, caressing the skin gently. She looked at him for a second and looked away. He moved his hand up her thighs, pushing them open a little until she could feel his fingers between her legs. He opened his trousers and took her hand, pushing it into his underpants where he was already hard. He knelt up on the sofa and eased his trousers down.

‘Turn around,’ he said, breathing hard.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The little tapas bar was tucked well off the usual tourist trail of English bars and restaurants in Fuengirola, and by the time Rosie found it, she was exhausted from walking in the blistering heat. It was mid-afternoon, and only a couple of old men were sitting at one of the tables outside in the shaded cobbled side street. Most of the Spanish were sensibly having a siesta. Rosie had decided it would be best to meet the women on her own and had left Matt happily sunning himself at the poolside, chatting up a Swedish girl. He’d just sent her a text asking if it was all right if he went to dinner with the lady. She had to laugh at his opportunism.

Liz saw Rosie as she walked into the deserted bar, and waved her over to the corner.

‘Better in here with the air con,’ she said, smiling. ‘It’s out of the way too.’

‘Good move.’ Rosie glanced around the bar, then put her hand out towards Wendy, who looked up nervously.

‘Hi, Wendy. Thanks for seeing me.’ She sighed, sitting down. ‘I’m really sorry for what happened to you. What an ordeal. And now, uprooting your whole life because of a man like that. Awful.’

Wendy nodded and swallowed. ‘Thanks. Nice to meet you,’ she said, shaking her hand self-consciously.

Rosie rubbed her forehead, knowing that just about everything she asked her would seem inappropriate to a girl who’d been raped and threatened.

‘Look. I know it might seem stupid asking you how you’re doing,’ she gave her a sympathetic look, ‘but how
are
you coping?’

‘Not bad,’ Wendy said, clearing her throat. ‘It’s a bit better now that Liz is here.’ She looked beyond Rosie, then down at her hand, picking at her gnawed fingernails. ‘But the first couple of weeks … Hard to explain really. I … I was just living from day to day. In the very beginning when I did the runner, it was hour by hour. Totally wrecked.’

They sat for a moment in silence. A waiter came over and Rosie ordered a mineral water, as did Wendy. She was surprised that Liz did too. The remains of the drink in front of her also looked like water, so at least they were sober. Rosie hadn’t really known what to expect when she got to Spain, but she’d hoped she wouldn’t find them three sheets to the wind. If they were going to help her, she needed them with their wits about them. But right now, she wasn’t in a position to make demands. She felt sorry for Wendy. She seemed
very different to her brash pal – softer. The large brown eyes on her lean face made her look vulnerable, almost waif-like, and younger than her twenty-two years. Her hair pulled back in a clasp emphasised sharp, high cheekbones.

Rosie took a deep breath.

‘Wendy. I know this is difficult for you. But do you want to talk about it … About the night it happened? The rape?’

Wendy looked at Liz, who said, ‘I told you she’d want to ask you about it. It’s up to you.’

‘Are you going to be writing this though?’ Wendy asked. ‘I don’t want anything in the papers. I can’t do that.’

‘No, no,’ Rosie reassured her. ‘Not at all. I wouldn’t be able to do that legally anyway, because McGregor is out there roaming the streets, and totally scot-free. So, unfortunately, in the eyes of the law, he’s innocent.’

Wendy snorted her disdain.

‘Aye. Innocent. That’ll be right.’ She fiddled nervously with a chain around her neck as the waiter brought the drinks to the table. ‘Right. I’ll tell you what happened. But it’s just for your information. Right?’

‘Of course,’ Rosie said. ‘Liz has told me a bit anyway. Well … that you all went back for a drink and then he drove the two of you home.’

‘That’s right,’ Wendy said. ‘Then he was dropping me off at my mum’s.’ She looked at Liz for reassurance. ‘Will I just … er … say what happened?’

Liz nodded.

‘Okay. When we left Liz’s place, he should have gone down the street and turned left into the main road. But that’s not what he did. I admit I had a couple of drinks in me, and I was looking through his music, so I didn’t notice he had gone right. There’s this place where shops are boarded up and some offices disused now, and there’s never anyone around there. I asked him where he was going and he didn’t answer. He just kept driving. He’d been a laugh earlier on, but he looked angry, tense. Then he drove into this dark car park and stopped the car.’ Wendy swallowed. ‘I knew … I knew straight away what was going to happen and I was panicking, but I didn’t want to make him mad.’ She stopped and looked at Liz, who gave her arm a supporting squeeze.